jpskirmse's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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London, England

Mary Anning's Plesiosaur

This marine reptile was discovered by one of the 19th century's greatest fossil hunters.
London, England

The Lewis Chessmen

These mysterious Viking chess pieces spent centuries hidden on a remote Scottish island.
Madrid, Spain

The Lady of Cerro de los Santos

This enigmatic artifact is a rare depiction of an ancient Iberian noblewoman.
Berlin, Germany

Berlin-Friedrichstrasse Railway Station

Cold war icon and onetime "hole" in the iron curtain.
Vatican City

Stufetta del Bibbiena

The Vatican's secret porn-festooned bathroom was painted in erotic murals by one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance.
Vatican City

Vatican Necropolis

Hidden beneath the famous St. Peter's Basilica is a veritable city of the dead that may hold the remains of St. Peter himself.
Vatican City

Gallery of Maps - Galleria delle Carte Geografiche

Breathtaking and huge 430 year old maps of Italy.
New York, New York

Indian Rhinoceros Diorama

An eerie diorama that captures the majestic nature of a few prehistoric-looking beasts.
New York, New York

Libyan Desert Diorama

This poignant display is now a memorial to these regionally extinct species.
New York, New York

Sambar and Wild Dog Diorama

This taxidermy scene brings the struggle for survival in the Indian jungle to a quiet corner of a Manhattan museum.
New York, New York

Gorilla Diorama

Creating this diorama spurred naturalist Carl Akeley to begin advocating to protect the apes.
New York, New York

Antonín Dvořák's Home

The place where Dvořák composed some of his most famous works.
New York, New York

Asiatic Leopard Diorama

One of the most dazzling dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History is also one of the oldest.
New York, New York

Okapi Taxidermy Diorama

This impressive scene portrays the elusive forest giraffe of Central Africa.
New York, New York

Scavenger Taxidermy Diorama

This morbid scene depicts the Darwinian drama of death on the African savannah.
New York, New York

African Elephants Diorama

This magnificent herd of stampeding elephants has been frozen in time for over a century.
New York, New York

Komodo Dragon Diorama

Here be dragons.
New York, New York

West Terrace at the Cloisters

This hidden oasis features a stunning view of the Hudson River and the Palisades from a castle-like museum.
New York, New York

Portrait of an Unidentified Woman

The mysterious image is believed to show Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, in a beautiful blue dress.
New York, New York

Hall of North American Mammals

Outstanding taxidermy dioramas showcase the grandeur of the continent's wildlife with spooky realism.
New York, New York

Survivor Tree

The last living thing to come out of the rubble after 9/11 is now a symbol of hope and resilience.
New York, New York

Tom's Restaurant

The "Seinfeld" diner.
New York, New York

Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters

Mysterious 500-year-old tapestries depict a unicorn hunt.
New York, New York

The Evolution Store

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.